Display character



Patented Aug. 20, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPLAY CHARACTER Anthony Zicke, San Bruno, Calif. Application May 31, 1943, Serial No. 489,143

1 Claim.

My invention relates to display characters such as letters and numerals for use in making signs, and for advertising purposes.

An object of my invention is to provide a display character, such as a letter or numeral having front and back surfaces of the desired configuration offset relative to each other and bounded by beveled surfaces inclined at an angle such as to emphasize the depth of the character, and to impart a contrasting or shadow-like appearance to portions thereof.

My invention possesses other objects and features of value, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the invention. It is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the showing made by the said description and the drawing, as I may adopt variant forms of the invention within the scope of the appended claim.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a block number showing atypical embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device as shown in Figure 1, a portion being broken away and shown in section.

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1 in the direction indicated.

In terms of broad inclusion, the display character of my invention comprises a body shaped in a desired configuration of the class of letters, numerals and the like; and characterized by substantially parallel front and back faces, offset horizontally and vertically relative to each other, the side portions of the body being defined by beveled surfaces inclining from the front to the rear surfaces, sometimes at different angles.

In terms of greater detail, the display character of my invention comprises a body shaped to a desired configuration such as a letter, figure, or similar design. For purposes of illustration I have shown in the drawing a character having a body I shaped as a block numeral 5. The front and back surfaces of the body I are disposed in substantially parallel planes spaced to obtain a body of desired depth or thickness.

The shape of the back surface corresponds to that of the front surface, but said front and back surfaces are offset horizontally and vertically relative to each other; Preferably the front surface is offset downwardly and to the right with respect to the back surface. The surfaces 2, which extend across the thickness of the bod I between corresponding edges of the front and back surfaces, inclinedownwardly from horizontal portions 3, and toward the right from vertical portions 4, of the edges of the back surface, as viewed in the drawing. These surfaces form beveled sides along such portions of the body I. In the case of curved edges, suchas the edges 5 and 6 of the lower portion of the numeral 5, illustrating in the drawing, the surface extending transversely between the back and front surfaces is correspondingly beveled. The angle of inclination may be varied if desired, and as shown in the drawing, to create a contrasting amount of shade or shadow effect.

The plane vertical front surface of the body I and the inclined side surfaces 2 provide areas, which ordinarily are illuminated to different degree. The areas which receive maximum illumination are contrasted against those which are illuminated to a lesser degree in a manner such as to emphasize the depth of the body, and to give a shadow-like appearance to the areas of lesser illumination. For example, if the primary source of light is above the character, the bevel surfaces 2 serve as areas of high light, and cause the front surf-ace area to have a shadow-like appearance. The shadow effect or contrast can be accentuated to any desired degree by the application of different finishes upon the outer and transverse surfaces, as for example by the use of finishes of different color, or texture, or both.

The angle at which the surfaces 2 incline is preferably substantially the same along the horizontal portions 3 and vertical portions 4. However, different angles of inclination can be used to obtain varying shadow effects. In general I prefer an angle of about 30 to but the angle may be increased or decreased if desired.

The body I may be formed of any suitable material and in anyconvenient way. For ex- I ample, the body may be sawed from wood, in which case the front and back surfaces are formed by the corresponding surfaces of a board from which the character is cut by means of a saw set to cut at the angle desired for the inclined surfaces 2. Alternatively the character may be molded from suitable plastic or other moldable material; or it may be cast in metal.

Individual characters formed as above ,described may be grouped to form desired words for use as signs, advertising, or similar display purposes. If desired, a plurality of characters may be formed together as a unit. For example, in the case of script lettering, the several letters of a word may be connected one to another as a unitary body, in which the beveled sides of the 3' several letters produce a shadow effect extending uniformly from each letter into the next.

I claim:

A display character comprising an integrally formed body provided with substantially parallel spaced front and back faces of substantially equal area equally offset horizontally and vertically with respect to each other and each having spaced edges outlining a character of the class of letters and-numerals, and substantially parallel .in-

' clined surfaces connecting the spaced edges of the 'front face with the corresponding edges of the back face along the entire outline of the character, said inclined surfaces having light reflective properties varying with their inclination relative to the front and back faces at various points therealong, whereby the front face is bounded at all points along opposite edges thereof by in- ANTHONY "ZICKE. 

